Nikoleta Tomovic, executive director of Centre for Monitoring and Research, attended Triple A Study Visit to Dublin from 25th to 27th February 2016. Study visit was hosted by the National Association of Citizens Information Services (NACIS). NACIS is a partner in the Triple A project, funded by EU and led by European Citizen Action Service (ECAS), which aims to support access for citizens to information, advice and active help services in Western Balkans and Turkey.

This study visit was attended also by representatives from other two Montenegrin organizations – the Association of Youth with Disabilities and the Centre for Civic Education in addition to Centre for Monitoring and Research. The visiting group included representatives of organizations from other countries – the Macedonian Young Lawyers Association, The Coalition of ‘All for Fair Trials Macedonia’, NGO LIL Macedonia, the Open Society Foundation Albania and Res Publica Albania.

At the beginning, our representative had opportunity to hear more about history and current situation of Citizens Information Services in Ireland and supports provided by Citizens Board from the CEO of the Citizens Information Board. Also, there were presentations from the National Association of Citizens Information Services, Dublin City Centre Citizens Information Service (DCC CIS), the National Advocacy Service and the Community Law & Mediation Service. Besides that, participants had the opportunity to observe the Information, Advice & Active Help process in action by visiting the busy city centre service.

Tomovic also visited the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities and Pavee Point, which provides supports to the Roma and Traveller Communities in Ireland. Visits to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, the Four Courts, and the FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) office helped participants to learn how to strength access to justice.

CeMI was one of additional organizations from Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania who have received grant aid to provide similar services in addition to conduct advocacy campaigns to strengthen access to justice in their respective countries.

This Study visit was very useful for CeMI because we had opportunity to learn from experiences of other organizations and to bring back home new ideas about providing information, advice and advocacy.